Chapter 3: The Realization and Growing Suspicion

I dey feel chills, my leg begin bounce for floor. For my mind, I dey run calculation—who fit be?

The killer na person wey dey live here.

I dey look our group chat—one of us dey form innocent, but na devil dey inside.

E dey inside this group chat now.

I dey imagine say the murderer fit dey read my message, dey smile. Omo, this life no balance.

This apartment na new one, people never too full.

E get as the place still dey smell new paint, boys never too full compound with motor. Only few neighbors dey always show face for group chat. You fit smell new paint and faint scent of fried dodo from neighbor window.

Apart from the few of us wey dey chat, na only 501 never talk for group before.

That 501 own dey strange. E never talk since. Wetin e dey hide?

Among us, na so murderer dey.

I dey count names for my mind—na so fear dey sweeten.

[Based on known information, your current probability of survival is 25%.]

Awei voice just dey sound like say na maths teacher dey mark WAEC. I swear, that percentage make my mind nearly burst.

Awei no fit check other people private data by itself.

E just dey use normal settings. If na human, e for don search everybody background.

But once I reason say na resident be the murderer, e update my survival chance sharp sharp.

Na as I talk am, Awei sharp—immediately, my odds drop. My hand dey shake.

I yarn my analysis for group.

I type full message, no dey hide anything: "Guys, as e be, na only resident fit do this kind thing. Everybody register face. Abeg, make una shine eyes."

301 no too dey fear again.

E be like say as I drop logic, her mind calm small.

"Murderer dey building, but as long as we no open door, nothing fit happen."

"Just call police, make dem handle am."

The way she talk, na so person wey don resign fate dey reason. My own na say, make everybody survive till police show.

Suddenly, security guard Musa talk: "No need call police, trust me, na prank be this."

That kain assurance. E be like say the guy sabi something we no sabi. I begin suspect say maybe e dey hide something.

When 704 ask am why e sure, the guy just keep quiet.

E shock everybody. For Musa to lock mouth, e mean say matter pass be careful. I dey look my phone, dey wait his reply, but silence na im reply.

I tell 301: "Don call police already, but traffic jam dey outside."

I drop screenshot of traffic map. For Lagos, traffic na another level—only prayer dey help.

For the map, the road to the estate just red everywhere.

E resemble jollof rice wey dem no put enough water—everywhere dry, everywhere tight.

Navigation app talk say na chain accident block both sides. E no go clear soon.

If na my papa, e go say, "This na wahala double-double." So I just tell myself, patience na the key.

301 talk: "Make everybody just stay for their room. Abeg, no comot."

Na as she talk, people begin lock themselves. I fit imagine say some dey hide for wardrobe, some don carry kitchen knife.

Na that time 402 drop one cold message.

The kain way the message land for group chat, e choke everybody. For Naija, when person yarn like that, e fit mean say e get better plan, or e wan run mad thing.

"If you just sit down wait, na die you dey wait for."

You fit hear pin drop for group. Everybody begin dey reason: who go first break, who go first move? As I dey watch the group chat, my mind dey count seconds—one of us fit be the killer, and night never finish.